A Book of Sinners

Do you ever feel worthless, useless, unqualified? Have you ever taken a look at yourself through the Law and decide there's no reason God should use you-- of all people-- to work for His Kingdom?

I think sometimes it's easy to see others and view them as somehow better than us, more godly, more qualified to be used by God. However, one thing that I love about the Word is that it doesn't sugar coat the people God used throughout the Old and New Testament. Instead, it shows how God would choose a man or woman, they would sin against Him, and yet He would still call them back to Himself and continue to work through them. Take a look at these men and women of the Bible:

Abram and Sarai doubted God's provision (Genesis 16)

Moses killed a man (Exodus 2)

David was an adulterer and a murderer (2 Samuel 11)

Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1)

Jonah ran from God (Jonah 1)

Peter denied Christ (Matthew 26:69-70)

This is just a short list of many, many men and women in the Bible that God chose to work through. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". It doesn't say some, this is an all inclusive verse describing every human to ever have walked on this earth. Yes, that includes you and me, but it also includes David, Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, Mary, Paul and all of the other great men and women in the Bible.

Satan is going to show you your failures again and again. Martin Luther once said, "When Satan taunts me with my sins, at first I try to reason with him. Then I quote Scripture". The hymn Before the Throne of God Above speaks of this as well in the second verse:

"When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free.

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me."

You have been forgiven, you have been set free. Sin is not longer your master! When you start to feel inadequate in light of how many times you've failed God, recall that Christ died to release you of your bond. Rest in that today.